5 comments about Incompressible Flow.

1. The text makes a clear presentation of the material, both in terms of giving background on index notation, and on deriving the equations of fluid motion. Well written and very clear.
   
   One main complaint is the lack of examples that are worked out for the reader. Especially for subject matter that rewards familiarity and repetition, this would be a helpful inclusion



2. Overall, not a bad text. Definitely written for engineers, though. Many of the equations are rewritten in different coordinate systems which I found unecessary. In addition, some results are just introduced as fact with much of the mathematical rigor used to derive them left out. The physical arguments and treatment of Exact Solutions to Navier-Stokes are excellent.



3. The book store service is quick and good, but there are still errors in the book even through this is the third edition.



4. This book is an excellent text book on an advanced topic. But it does have some issues like any text book I saw. 1) quite a lot of editting errors; 2) Lack of detailed examples; 3) Some derivations are not complete; 4) Index notation not explained very well. However, it is still the best in its class IMO. Some other good books are by Currie and White. Currie's book is probably the easiest to understand. But neither covers as many important topics as this one. These three books together plus the one by Aris are a good combo to study this topic.



5. This book does a nice job of presenting the basic ideas of incompressible flow, but does not have any examples for the problems. It has a very weak treatment of simple flows, but does a sufficiently good job of mathematically supporting each concept. Not the best book, but good enough for undergraduate/introductory courses.

5 comments about Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics.

1. This was a great book. It covered the important material and left out all of the extra garbage that most books carry on for pages about. The presentation was done using clear mathematics and modern, easily followed notation. The book is short making it practical to actually read the entire book if you are extremely busy. We used the book in conjunction with Hill. I don't recommend Hill because it is hard to follow.



2. A clear, concise explanation of statistical mechanics. Some people may complain about the "concise" part--in many cases, mathematical exercises are left as exercises to the student. However, this practice allows the reader to really understand the material by doing, not just reading. I learned stat mech for the first time from this book, and only examined other texts (mcquarrie or hill) afterwards.



3. I used this book while taking the course for which this book was designed, Prof. Chandler's stat mech course for first year graduate students.
   
   I agree with the reviewer who wrote that this book avoids a lot of filler that can distort the main thrust of the material at hand.
   
   I disagree with the reviewer who wrote that this is not the book for a beginner. I used this book having studied undergrad p-chem but essentially no stat mech. Being a concise text, one must read carefully to extract the point of each paragraph. I sometimes found myself re-reading certain sections a few times in order to understand them. The abundant prose should be evidence that the author is trying to provide a physical picture to improve the scientific intuition of the reader.
   
   This doesn't mean the book isn't for a beginner. It just means what you should already know: you will not learn stat mech by skimming any text just once with a pint of beer in your hand.
   
   I constantly return to this book for review of thermo and stat mech concepts. For my grad qualifying exams I mostly used McQuarrie for general p-chem overview, but switched right back to IMSM for thermo and stat mech review.
   
   If you're looking for a reference book with every possible stat mech problem worked out to help with your problem sets, this is not it. If you want to understand stat mech this book is the first step.



4. The book cover is in worse condition than I expected, but the contents are all there, and it came within a week of ordering.



5. After learning almost nothing in my graduate course on stat mech taught by a famous physicist, I decided I would have to teach myself Stat Mech over the summer. When I found this book, I really started to make progress. Right away I got the big picture on what statistical mechanics is all about, and that made all the difference. I was able to work my way quickly through the book, doing the problems as they came along in text and understand almost everything.
   
   I wasn't able to make it through the denser chapters at the end on nonequilibrium stat mech on my own, but the book was well worth the price and is one of my favorites. The explanations are pure gold.
   
   A few tips for the reader:
   1. Do the problems as your read. The best place for the problems in a textbook is in the text itself, not at the end of the chapter.
   
   2. Get the solutions manual
   I purchased the solutions manual so that I could check my solutions. It had about half the solutions and only half of them worked out in detail, but it was still very useful for getting started on some of the problems I wasn't sure how to approach.
   
   3. Make a notation conversion chart
   Some of the greek letters are different than the usual notation for physics courses, so I had to make a notation conversion chart on the front inside cover and that was very helpful.
   
   4. If you find the book too hard, use Schroeder's book as an introduction.
   
   5. Be prepared to see a missing spot on your shelf.
   I'm constantly loaning this book out to people in my research group and other students.

2 comments about Donnys Unauthorized Technical Guide to Harley Davidson 1936-2008: Volume I: The Twin Cam.

1. Anyone that has been sucked into the Harley mystique and owns one of these expensive power mills owes it to themselves to read anything and everything by Harley Technical writer, Donny Petersen. Donny is the Jedi Master of Harley Davidson power trains. Donny's monthly tech articles for the extremely popular AMERICAN IRON magazine are indispensable guides for Modern Harley owners and mechanics. His articles are the primary reason I own a subscription to the magazine. I've learned a lot about Harleys from this man. His technical writing is brilliantly comprehensive to the expert and the layman. Donny is an invaluable teacher and second to none.
   
   This volume contains articles about the Modern Twin Cams (1999 to the present). I suspect this series is going backwards in time if it is the first in a 12 volume set. What's covered in this volume is the introduction of the Twin Cam engine in late 1998, early Twin Cam problems, timing chest and gears, the history of Harley oil leaks, air flow problems, modifying Twin Cams into older frames, the clunky (my words) new 6 speed tranny, and the introduction of the 2007 96ci engine. My guess is that subsequent volumes will contain more indepth articles on the Twin Cam 88, 96, and 110 CVOs, while regressing to the earlier engine designs.
   
   Here's hoping that Donny covers the entire gamut of Harley engine evolution going back to EVOs, Shovels, Panheads, and Knuckleheads. (Starting with the 1936 Knucklehead means there will be no coverage on the 1909-1936 Flathead.) Even though I don't own any of these older mills, I'll surely purchase every volume. Donny makes reading the history of Harley engine design fascinating, to say the least. And must own reading for owners of these older engine designs.
   
   My only complaint with Donny is that I think he's a little too forgiving of the new '07 and '08 EPA induced Harley design. These closed loop engines run far too hot and lean for an air cooled motor. IMHO, unmodified engine longevity and performance has got to be a serious issue with the newer Harleys. Donny has touched on the future of the Twin Cam due to overwhelming EPA constraints and the possible death of the Harley air cooled mystique. It could spell the end of the Classic Harley Davidson look. (I know there are some bearded diehard enthusiasts that are frowning right now. Man, I feel your pain. I have a little tear in my eye too.) Things are changing. The future is the water cooled design of the Harley V-Rod. If you own an '07 or '08 Twin Cam, you owe it to yourself to do some online research into overheating, "parade mode", and the O2 sensors. As far as I know, Donny has not mentioned the "wideband" O2 sensors fix for reducing the lean condition of these motors in any of his tech articles for AMERICAN IRON. I could be wrong, having possibly missed it or skimmed over it. And an investment into an oil cooler is a must. I did some online research into this for two of my friends that own '07 TC96s. And I have to say, I'm just grateful that I own an '06 TC88.
   
   Other than this minor quibble, this is the man to read when it comes to understanding Harley power trains. If waiting to buy 12 volumes of tech articles is a little daunting, a subscription to AMERICAN IRON is in order. If for no other reason than to get Donny Petersen's tech articles. (Sorry Genevieve, but AMERICAN IRON needs more swimsuit models posing with the customs. Just a suggestion, Chris.)
   
   Thanks, Donny. Keep up the great work. I always look forward to reading your knowledgeable articles.
   
   ENJOY.



2. This book has excellent info for the ones who have not kept up with all of the changes in the current "Twin Cam" harley engine. Very detailed and concise.

4 comments about Schaum's Outline of Statics and Strength of Materials (Schaum's).

1. Plese send for me about the screw test in all universities. Tank's all over.



2. This book is full of mistakes. I spend more time checking the author's work that I do practicing. Don't waste your money or time with this.



3. I have found it helpful in confirming information I was not sure about.



4. This book is a great self teacher of statics and beam mechanics. It has the best treatment of the "singularity function" method for beam loading that I have read.

5 comments about Quantum Mechanics Demystified.

1. This is a good book for anyone trying to teach yourself quantum mechanics, and it is a good supplement to any quantum mechanics class. The author talked about hopefully making a 2nd book on this topic to add to this book (not a 2nd edition, but another book) because this one does lack some of the more complicated topics in quantum mechanics.



2. This book might be a decent supplement for more rigorous introductory texts such as Griffiths if it wasn't for the unbelievable number of careless errors and typos. Almost every page (no exaggeration) has at least one error. While most of the errors are self-evident and easily corrected, some do lead to confusion and frustration and all produce in the reader a general mistrust of the text. It is amazing that a reputable publisher like McGraw-Hill could have let a book this mistake-ridden go to print. Errors aside, the content is not self-contained and is not suitable for self-learning, as there is little explanation of the physical meaning of the math and almost no rigorous development of the theories. There are plenty of instances where concepts are used that have not yet been explained, such as the definition of the square of the absolute value of the wave function and the Hamiltonian operator. It
   might, however, serve as a supplement for other introductory texts, since it offers simple problems that help reinforce calculation techniques, which tend to be lacking in texts such as Griffiths which contain more meaningful but more difficult problems. Regardless of its merits, a revised, corrected edition is needed.



3. I went through this book twice and found it very helpful in getting a basic familiarity with elementary quantum mechanics. Its strong point is the detailed exposition of the calculations which enables even people without a lot of math background to master and understand the material. The main problem is innumerable typos, which paradoxically are a kind of learning experience because they force you to go through each calculation in detail to correct the mistakes. But really, it's a shame that so little effort was made at proofreading before the book was published. The reader deserves better.



4. This book is completely useless. It describes itself as basic enough for beginners yet complex enough for advanced students. I would consider myself somewhere in between this, but didn't find either of these claims to be valid.
   
   Equations are introduced with no context what-so-ever. I expected something that would be a gentle enough (re-)introduction to the subject. No, it's just straight in there with no explanation of anything. On the cover there is a nice cartoon of Schrodinger and his cat - which suggests the tone of book. Unfortunately, this is misleading (I know: books, covers, judging etc) - the cat never appears. Schrodingers equation appears - but I had to go elsewhere to find out its origins.
   
   I can't suggest an alternative - but stay away from this one.



5. Simply not a book for beginners or even those with some basic physics knowledge which is what this book claims. This is due to the lack of context with which most of the equations are introduced. A beginner wouldn't even get past the first page!

5 comments about Fundamentals of Statistical Processing, Volume I: Estimation Theory (Prentice Hall Signal Processing Series).

1. This is one of the best references on statistical signal processing. The topic is not of simple matter, but the author presents the materials clearly together with great examples. The book is reader-friendly and is relatively error-free. I have bought several copies for my PhD students at Georgia Tech.



2. This text is very good for those who start doing research in statistical signal processing. A lot of explanations, technical terms are well presented and consistent, plus a number of examples that help you to learn about different statistical signal processing concepts and algorithms. Research students can be beneficial alot from this text.



3. I've had tough courses on statistical signal processing as a post-grade student. I am often confused in front of a problem and turning back to the notes taken in class doesn't help much.
   When you read this book all gets bright. I am still wondering how some teachers can be so confusing while such good books do exist...
   However don't count on it for in depth mathematical demonstrations, it starts with a practical problem and explains how to model things. Thus it is a bit bottom-up but anyway starting from a good graduate level in signal and stats.
   I got this one at the library but already ordered a copy for myself and am planning to get part2 on detection.



4. Without any hesitation, I consider this book as a masterpiece in the area of statistical signal processing. Kay takes the reader to the journey of estimation theory as if a science teacher takes his students to a field trip. The one special feature of this book is the convergence of thought that reader obtains upon reading the book. Kay lays a fundamental bridge between various estimators using his succinct style for describing the subject.

   Few special areas require more attention in this book. For example the coverage of EM methods is very condense and requires more elaboration. Also there is no discussion on the estimation methods using higher order statistics.

   Overall I consider this book as the best book I have read ever and I highly recommend this book to those who want to obtain an ever-lasting view on statistical signal processing.




5. One of the best written textbooks I have ever read, in any field. Crystal clear, and is a gold mine of knowledge.

5 comments about Introduction to Fluid Mechanics.

1. This book goes a long way to describe the most simple concepts in a confusing way. I ended up learning from a different text book. If your university uses this book, it is probably a good idea to take this course somewhere else. This book assumes that you have already taken dynamics and thermodynamics! The problems are not clearly written, so trying to understand the question is often more time consuming than finding the solution.



2. This textbook, is horribly written. It is does not explain concepts and examples in a sequential manner. Would not recommend this book for understanding fluid mechanics.



3. I am only half way through the book so far, however I have noticed from other reviews that many students do not like this book.
   
   In my opinion, I find the book to be very enjoyable to both read and study from. It provides concise derivations for Reynolds Transport Theorem, Bernoulli's Equation, Navier-Stokes Equations and others that are necessary to understand fluid mechanics. The example problems are useful and well laid out. What some students may not like is that the book tends to take a more long winded approach to solving certain problems. However that approach is the proper one when solving more complex fluid mechanic problems.



4. I think this is a decent book to learn fluid mechanics concepts from. There are many examples in the book and it doesn't make the subject as daunting as some other textbooks can make it. I don't really think it was particularly necessary for portions of the textbook to be placed in a CD since I eventually printed out most of the material when I was studying that particular section.



5. I recently had the need to go back and relearn fluid mechanics five years after originally taking the course. I found this book to be amazingly helpful. The thing it does better than just about any book I have seen before is example problems. They are numerous, and make sense. Also, many higher up text books neglect putting answers to significant numbers of problems in the back of the book. Since the best way to learn a subject is working problems, this book really allows you to pick up the subject on your own.

3 comments about Continuum Mechanics: Concise Theory and Problems.

1. I first heard about this book when in engineering graduate school. At the time, this book was out-of-print, so my version came from an almost unreadable nth xerox copy, where n is a very large number. Having had two courses in Continuum Mechanics, I was in a position to appreciate this book. In addition to defining the trace and determinant in the usual way, for example, this book also lucidly presented invariant direct notation definitions. This book contains an excellent derivation of the jump relations that must be satisfied across moving shocks. This book is too disorganized and incomplete to serve as an introductory textbook, but it is fabulous as supplemental reading if you seek new insights on topics you already know.



2. This "textbook" is really a bare-bones, although reasonably comprehensive, outline of an entry graduate course on continuum mechanics. Many of its 100 or so worked-out "problems" are not really problems as much they are part of larger derivations of theories. If your professor does not specify a required textbook or does not provide lecture notes, buy this book as a supplement. -UC Berkeley graduate mechanical engineering student



3. This book contains all the required theory in compact, though mathematically strict and complete form. About 180 pages, it is a valuable supplement for the study of continuum mechanics.

No comments about Schaum's Outline of Fluid Mechanics (Schaum's Outlines).

1 comments about Engineering Mechanics, Statics.

1. The greatest feature of this book is the generous use of examples throughout. For every type of problem, there is some close example that you can refer to.

   Even though I didn't particularly enjoy the class for which this text was assigned, I think that the book itself is a great resource, and should be recognized as so.